Nest.



G. A. STONE.

a. NEST.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

1,062,861 Patented May 27, 1913.

by www v W .flZffl/ZJJZJW Witnesses Inventor,

Attorneys;

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH ASHINUTON. D, c.

5 of hinged doors or the like.

GLENN A. STONE, OF MARIETTA, MINNESOTA.

NEST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2'7, 1913.

Application filed September 7, 1912. Serial No. 719,104.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GLENN A. STONE, citizen of the United States, residing at Marietta, in the county of Lao Qui Parle and 5 State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nests, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hens nests, one of its objects being to trap a laying hen whereby to compel her to remain on the nest for a predetermined number of hours during the day, the mechanism provided for this purpose being simple and compact and operating without danger to the fowl.

A further object is to enable an attendant to ascertain by a glance at the box or housing whether or not it is occupied, thus to eliminate the necessity of inspecting the nest for that purpose, with attending liability of frightening the hen.

With the. foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention residesin the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of two nests embodying the present improvements, one of said nests being broken away to show a portion of the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the nests. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the door or hood inverted.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a housing which can be of any proportions desired and the front of this housing is provided with an inlet opening 2. As shown in Fig. 2, two or more of these housings may be combined in a single structure so as to provide two or more nests. It is preferred to close the backs of the nests by means of horizontally slidable closures 3 the upper edges of which travel within grooves 4. If desired, however, the back ends of the nests can be closed in any other suitable manner, as by means Each housing has a nest box 5 which bears at its front end upon the bottom of the housing. Pivotally secured to the sides of the housing, as at 6, are the sides 7 of a hood or closure 8, the

top of said closure being preferably flat and the sides 7 being preferably triangular as shown, although it is to be understood that I these sides can be ofany othershape desired. The hood can be made of metal, wood or any other suitable material and the pivots 6 are located below the center of gravity of the hood or-closure. The closure is of such size as to be entirely housed with in the housing '1 when the nest box '5 is not occupied and presents no obstructionto the entrance of the fowl. The space between the upper edge of the nest box and the under side of the top of thehood or closure is sufficient to permit a fowl to enter readily although only one can enter at 'a time.

The means for tripping the hood or 9 pivotally connected at 10 to the sides of the housing and between the back portions of the sides 7 and the rear portion of the nest box 5. Each of these trips or triggers may be formed with a rounded or cam edge 11 if desired, although this can be dispensed with. This edge is adapted to work against the lower edge of the adjacent side 7.

I-Iooks 11 are pivotally connected to the sides of the box 5 near the back end thereof and are adapted to be placed in engagement with eyes 12 which are insertible into any one of a series of openings 13 formed in the trips or triggers. The parts are so proportioned that when the hooks 11" are in engagement with the eyes 12, the back end of the nest box is supported out of contact with the bottom of the housing 1. By providing eyes which can be placed in any of the openings 13, the nest box can be adjusted for use by fowls of different weights.

Should it be desired to use the nest as an open one, or, in other words, to prevent the tripping mechanism from operating, a hook, such as shown at 14, may be provided, this hook being shiftable into engagement with an eye or keeper 15 carried by one of the sides 7 so as thus to hold the hood or closure 8 against movement.

It will be apparent that when a fowl enters the opening 2, it necessarily places its weight upon the nest box 5 and, as it enters farther into the housing 1, the weight apclosure 8 includes a pair of trips or triggers ing 2 and preventing the fowl fromescaping from the nest.

As. stated, it is one of theobjects of the invention to enable an attendant to deter. mine at a glance whether or not the nest is. occupied. To accomplish this result there is r a flag or signal 16 preferably formed of sheet. metal and which has a tongue 17 eX tending downwardly through an opening 18 in the top of. the housing. This tongue nonmally hangs free but projects intothe path of thehood or closure 8. When. the nest is occupied the flag extends straight upwardly, it being held in this position by, gravity.- lVhen, however, the hood or closureS moves to shut position it strikes against tongue 1-7 and shits it out of normal'position, thus. forcing the flange 16 to a vertical positionand holding it thus; When afowlhas been confined. the desired length of time, the operator merely trips the hood; or door to, the position shownby full lines in Fig. 2-whereupon the signal is released andgwill return to its; initial position.

Theback closures 3 cairbe readily shifted out of. position, as when it is. desiredto obtain access to the nest for the purpose of: cleaning it or otherwise. As shown in the. drawings each of theseback closures may be provided with an opening 19 for ventilating purposes.

What is claimed is 1'. A housing, a nest tilta'bly supported 1 therein, a closure pivoted below its center of: gravity within the houslng, a trip plvotally mounted below the closure and separate therefrom, and a connection between the trip and nest for transm1tt1ng-mot1on from.

the nest when depressed to the trip to force the trip in engagement with the closure.

2. A housing, a nest tiltably supported therein, a closure pivoted below its center of gravity within the housing, a trip pivotally mounted below the closure and separate therefrom, an adjustable detachable connectionbetween the nest and the trip for transmitting motion to the trip from the nest when the nest is depressed, said trip when actuated constituting. means for shiftingtheclosure toward closed position.

3. A housing, a nest; tiltably, supported therein, a. closure pivoted below its. center of: gravity within, the housing, a. trip, pivotally mountedbelow the closureand sepa; rate therefrom, an. adjustable. detachable connection between the nest and the trip fortransmitting motion, to the trip from the nest whenthe nest is depressed, saidtrip when. actuated constituting. means for shifting the closure toward closed position, and

means forengaging the closureto hold it against actuat on by the trip.

4, A housing, a nest tiltahly supported therein, a closure pivotedbelow itscenter. of.

gravity within the housing, a trip pivotally mounted. below the closure and. separate therefrom, an adjustable detachableco'nneo tion between thenest and thetrip for trans.- mitting motion to the trip. from. the nest when the nest: isdepressed, said, tripwhen actuated constituting means. for shifting, the closure toward closed position, a signal tiltably mounted on the housing, anch a,

tongue depending therefrom and. into the path of. the closure, said. closure. when moved, toclosed position, being shiftable against the tongue. to tilt the signal up- .wardly to active position.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in, presence of two witnesses.

GLENN A. STONE, itnesses Jorm A, JOHNSON, G. O. LEWIS.

Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for fi-ve-cen tsjcach by, addressingpthe Commissioner. of Patent. wa shington, D. C. 

